Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds, who is black, had a banana thrown at him from the stands Thursday night during a 4-3 exhibition shootout loss to the Red Wings. As Simmonds took the first shot in the shootout, a banana came flying into his path as he skated in on Detroit goalie Jordan Pearce. "I don't know if it had anything to do with the fact I'm black," Simmonds, a 23-year-old Toronto native, said. "I certainly hope not. When you're black, you kind of expect (racist) things. You learn to deal with it." NHL commissioner Gary Bettman condemned the act. In a statement he said, "We have millions of great fans who show tremendous respect for our players and for the game. The obviously stupid and ignorant action by one individual is in no way representative of our fans or the people of London, Ontario." Simmonds acknowledged the banana rattled him, and his only thought was to get off a shot -- which went in for the Flyers' only score in the shootout.